barrett esophagitis question

[working dog]

anyone on tx or post tx develop barrett esophagitis? ...during tx i was half regurgitating a lot..i had real tough symptoms while on tx ... this symptom i wasn't worried about...thought no big deal ....post tx i was having a lot of trouble swallowing..went to get an endoscopy to check things out... before tx i did have some trouble swallowing once in a while ...turns out i have a hiatal hernia ...that doesn't help....it was hard for me to take any more drugs during tx although if i knew what acid indigestion could do i might have been more careful...they put me on omeprazole..they say for life......billy

[Advocate1955]

I haven't been through treatment, as you know, it's my husband who has been through treatment.  I haven't been formally diagnosed with GERD, but I have experienced the reflux into the esophagus/throat/mouth.  I take an over the counter once a day that prevents it, I avoid eating or drinking anything for an hour or two before bedtime, I have some blankets folded up under my mattress to try to raise the angle of my head.  It still happened very occasionally.  I did a bit of reading on-line and discovered that some people drink aloe juice and/or drink a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before bed.  I decided to try that along with my other things above.  I buy "True Aloe Juice", which is available in natural foods/supplement stores and apple cider vinegar is available in any grocery store.  At the risk of sounding silly, I haven't had any problem (knock on wood) since then, and Aloe Juice tastes good (at least the brand I buy), although apple cider vinegar does not.  If it returns, I will have to (dread) talk to my doctor again and follow up because I believe that Barrett's can lead to more serious esophageal problems if left untreated or if damage continues.
Advocate1955

[Gerbils]

Hi WD,
I am sorry to hear you are having this problem. I have no doubt that Barrett's esophagitis is scary. I have had gerd for a long time and was having a terrible time with it prior to tx. What is the prognosis? Do they think it will reverse? I was afraid I was getting Barrett's before tx but did not get it. I take Aciphex. They were having me take two a day prior to tx (which is not normal) because I had it so bad and it did work. It started to get expensive right around the time I started tx but the maker has a rebate program which makes it totally affordable. I took it all through tx and it too is a proton pump inhibitor. I don't think I had as much nausea as you did. I still take it just once a day and am doing well with it. I hope things get much better for you. There is so much stress with the impending tx I think it contributes to the stomach issues. Take care,
G

[working dog]

thanks guys....i wish i was more careful about it during tx..i thought it was cool to wait out the acid feeling in my throat until it went away...guess not....good thing is the stomach  biopsy was fine..no trouble there...Hector.. i really wish you good luck......billy

[Dawn703]

Not god, dog. hee hee

[Dawn703]

Hector is right, it is just one more pill to take, what is one more in the grand scheme of it all. Anyway, I have GERD, hiatal hernia, and esophogitis (before treatment). I too take prilosec. It has helped me imensely, yeah I hate taking it, any meds, I always opt for the all natural route, but when push comes to shove, give me the drugs. I was sooo miserable before. When my treatment is over I will have my esophgitis reevaluated, hopefully it has improved and hopefully it will for you as well.

[HectorSF]

Hiatal hernias are very common, especially in people over 50 years old. This condition can cause reflux/backflow of gastric acid from the stomach into the esophagus.

GERD is also one the the main risk factors for barrett esophagitis (the tissue of the esophagus is replaced by tissue similar to the lining of the intestines). So it would make sense that either condition could cause trouble swallowing and your stomach acid to eat away at the lining of the esophagus.

Omeprazole has worked for me in the past quite well. My GERD seems to come and go at different times so I go on and off of the meds. My most recently GERD symptoms started after my chemo treatments which really caused my GERD to flair up. I am now taking the drug Pantoprazole (a proton pump inhibitor), because the Omeprazole failed to ease the burning pain I was experiencing.

Hang in there it is just one pill to take. In time it will become second nature.

I hope you are feeling much better now with the drug.
Take care.

Hector

[frijole]

I am afraid I don't know about barrett esophagitis, Billy, but with the amount of nausea you had, perhaps you damaged your esophogus with stomach acid.  Darn, if it is not one thing, it is another.  Growing old is not for sissies.

bean